Overhead animal feed loading, transporting and mixing system

Abstract

According to embodiments disclosed herein, there is provided a system for loading, mixing and transporting feed. The system includes a scoop assembly and a mixing tub that are movable overhead a series of storage bays. The scoop assembly may retrieve commodities from the storage bays and load measured quantities of the commodities into the mixing tub.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A feed preparation system comprising:
 at least one carriage movable along a track overhead a plurality of commodity bays; 
 a scoop array comprising a plurality of scoops each adjacently positioned along a longitudinal axis hanging downwardly from the at least one carriage, the plurality of scoops, when positioned along the longitudinal axis, are positionable in a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction to align over a commodity bay, the plurality of scoops independently and selectively controllably lowered toward and raised from the commodity bay to selectively scoop a commodity from the commodity bay of the plurality of commodity bays; and 
 a first load measurement mechanism configured to measure a weight associated with at least one of the one or more scoops of the scoop array; and 
 a tub hanging from at least one of the at least one carriage and configured to receive a scooped commodity from the plurality of scoops of the scoop array. 
 
     
     
       2. The feed preparation system according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one carriage comprises a primary carriage configured to contact the track and a secondary carriage supported by the primary carriage. 
     
     
       3. The feed preparation system according to  claim 2 , wherein the scoop array comprises one or more scoops hanging downwardly from the secondary carriage via a lift mechanism. 
     
     
       4. The feed preparation system according to  claim 3 , wherein the first load measurement mechanism is disposed between the primary carriage and the secondary carriage and measures a weight of the secondary carriage and scoop array. 
     
     
       5. The feed preparation system according to  claim 2 , wherein the tub hangs from the primary carriage. 
     
     
       6. The feed preparation system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the track comprises a first rail and a second rail parallel to the first rail. 
 
     
     
       7. The feed preparation system according to  claim 2 , wherein the primary carriage comprises:
 a first transverse support and a second transverse support, each comprising a weight bearing member extending laterally across the first rail and second rail and each comprising a translation system configured to effectuate the translation of the primary carriage along the first rail and the second rail. 
 
     
     
       8. The feed preparation system according to  claim 7 , wherein the primary carriage further comprises:
 a first transverse member parallel to the first transverse support; 
 a second transverse member parallel to the second transverse support; 
 a first longitudinal support comprising a first longitudinal weight bearing member extending longitudinally parallel to the first rail; 
 a second longitudinal support comprising a second longitudinal weight bearing member extending longitudinally parallel to the second rail; and 
 a second load measurement mechanism comprising a plurality of load cells disposed between the first transverse member and the first and second longitudinal support, and between the second transverse member and first and second longitudinal support. 
 
     
     
       9. The feed preparation system according to  claim 8 ,
 wherein a load cell of the plurality of load cells comprising the second load measurement mechanism is positioned at each intersection of a first and second transverse member and a first and second longitudinal support, whereby weight supported by the first and second longitudinal supports is measured. 
 
     
     
       10. The feed preparation system according to  claim 8 ,
 wherein the secondary carriage comprises a plurality of upright arms extending upwardly from the first transverse member and the second transverse member of the primary carriage, 
 wherein one upright arm of the plurality of upright arms is positioned at each distal end of each first and second transverse member, and 
 wherein the first load measurement mechanism comprises load cells disposed between each upright arm of the plurality of upright arms and the corresponding first or second transverse member, whereby a weight supported by the secondary carriage is measured. 
 
     
     
       11. The system according to  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a first upper track connecting longitudinally between a pair of the upright arms, and a second upper track connecting longitudinally between a further pair of the upright arms; 
 at least one scoop carriage attached to at least one of the first upper track and second upper track, respectively, and configured to translate along the length of the corresponding upper track; and 
 the scoop array hanging at a first end from the at least one scoop carriage via a lift mechanism. 
 
     
     
       12. The system according to  claim 11 ,
 wherein a plurality of hanger arms extend downwardly from the longitudinal supports of the secondary carriage and support the tub. 
 
     
     
       13. The system according to  claim 12 ,
 wherein the tub comprises an auger disposed within the tub and configured to mix commodities placed in the tub by the scoop array. 
 
     
     
       14. The system according to  claim 11 ,
 wherein the plurality of scoops of the scoop array comprises a plurality of capacities, and 
 wherein each scoop is selectably independently closable by a controller, whereby the commodity is collectable from the commodity bay. 
 
     
     
       15. The system according to  claim 14 ,
 wherein each scoop comprises a closure mechanism configured to selectably close a hinged clamshell of the scoop. 
 
     
     
       16. The system according to  claim 14 ,
 wherein the lift mechanism comprises a cable and an actuator responsive to the controller and configured to raise and lower the scoop array. 
 
     
     
       17. The system according to  claim 12 , wherein the tub comprises a door comprising:
 a primary door plate configured to close an opening of the tub; 
 a sealing foot comprising a plate extending away from the primary door plate at a lowermost end of the primary door plate and nesting with a floor of the tub; and 
 an inset notch integrally formed with the primary door plate at an opposite end from the sealing foot and comprising a cutaway portion of the door configured to receive an edge bounding the opening in the tub. 
 
     
     
       18. A feed preparation system comprising:
 at least one carriage movable along an overhead track disposed overhead a plurality of commodity bays; 
 a scoop array hanging downwardly from the at least one carriage, the scoop array formed having a plurality of scoops positioned adjacent one another and axially aligned, the axially aligned scoops movable in a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction, the scoops independently and selectively lowered toward and raised from the commodity bay to scoop a commodity from the commodity bay; and 
 a tub hanging from at least one of the at least one carriage and configured to receive a scooped commodity from the scoop array. 
 
     
     
       19. The feed preparation system according to  claim 18 , wherein the at least one carriage comprises a first carriage and a second carriage supported by the first carriage, and wherein the scoop array hangs downwardly from the second carriage. 
     
     
       20. A feed preparation system comprising:
 a primary carriage movable along a track overhead a plurality of commodity bays; 
 a secondary carriage supported by the primary carriage; 
 a scoop array attached to and extending downwardly from a lift mechanism coupled to the secondary carriage and configured to be controllably raised and lowered by the lift mechanism at least partially below the primary carriage and a mixer assembly to scoop a commodity from a commodity bay; and 
 the mixer assembly attached to the primary carriage and configured to receive a scooped commodity from the scoop array, 
 wherein the scoop array comprises a plurality of scoops, each scoop of the plurality of scoops independently and selectively operable to open and close to scoop a commodity. 
 
     
     
       21. The feed preparation system according to  claim 20 , wherein the secondary carriage is at least partially overhead the primary carriage. 
     
     
       22. A method of feed preparation comprising:
 a first feed preparation operation configured to be performed at least partially simultaneously with at least a portion of a second feed preparation operation, the first feed preparation operation comprising:
 selecting at least one scoop from a scoop array comprising a plurality of adjacently-positioned and coaxially aligned scoops, each scoop of the plurality of scoops coupled to a portion of a lift mechanism; 
 extending the portion of the lift mechanism coupled with the selected at least one scoop, thereby lowering the at least one scoop toward a first commodity bay; 
 closing at least one of the at least one scoop to collect a commodity material from the first commodity bay; 
 selecting another scoop from the plurality of scoops of the scoop array; 
 extending the portion of the lift mechanism coupled with the selected another scoop, thereby lowering the another scoop toward a second commodity bay; 
 closing the another scoop to collect a commodity material from the second commodity bay; 
 weighing the collected commodity material; 
 translating the at least one scoop to be proximate a tub; 
 at least partially opening the at least one scoop to release at least a portion of the collected commodity material into the tub; and 
 translating the scoop array at least partially away from the tub; and 
 
 the second feed preparation operation comprising:
 translating both the scoop array and the tub away from the first commodity bay. 
 
 
     
     
       23. The method of feed preparation according to  claim 22 , wherein the first feed preparation operation further comprises retracting the lift mechanism coupled to the at least one scoop, thereby raising the at least one scoop away from the first commodity bay. 
     
     
       24. The method of feed preparation according to  claim 22 , wherein the weighing the collected commodity material comprises weighing, by a load cell, the at least one scoop with the collected commodity material therein. 
     
     
       25. The method of feed preparation according to  claim 22 , wherein the translating the scoop and the tub away from the first commodity bay comprises translating both the scoop and the tub toward a second commodity bay. 
     
     
       26. A method of feed preparation comprising:
 lowering a scoop array comprising a plurality of scoops over a first commodity bay; 
 collecting a first commodity from the first commodity bay with at least two scoops of the scoop array; 
 measuring a quantity of the first commodity in the at least two scoops, wherein the measuring comprises weighing the at least two scoops containing the quantity with a load cell; 
 comparing the quantity with a target quantity and determining a first difference between the quantity and the target quantity; 
 at least partially opening the at least two scoops to dump a portion of the quantity corresponding to the target quantity from the at least two scoops into a tub; 
 translating the tub and the scoop array to a second commodity bay. 
 
     
     
       27. The method of feed preparation according to  claim 26 , wherein at least a portion of the translating the tub and the scoop array is performed at least partially simultaneously with at least a portion of at least one of (i) the measuring, (ii) the comparing, and (iii) the at least partially opening. 
     
     
       28. The method of feed preparation according to  claim 26 , further comprising releasing a portion of the quantity corresponding to the first difference from the at least two scoops into the first commodity bay. 
     
     
       29. A scoop array comprising:
 a plurality of scoops configured to hang downwardly from a lift mechanism coupled to an overhead carriage; 
 wherein the plurality of scoops are configured to be controllably raised and lowered relative to the overhead carriage to scoop a material by the lift mechanism; and 
 a first load measurement mechanism configured to measure a weight associated with at least one scoop of the plurality of scoops of the scoop array. 
 
     
     
       30. The scoop array of  claim 29 , further comprising a tub configured to be supported by the carriage to receive a scooped material from the scoop array. 
     
     
       31. The scoop array of  claim 29 ,
 wherein the scoops of the plurality of scoops comprise a plurality of capacities, and 
 wherein each scoop of the plurality of scoops is selectably independently closable by a controller, whereby the material is collectable from a material bay. 
 
     
     
       32. The scoop array of  claim 29 ,
 wherein each scoop of the plurality of scoops comprises a closure mechanism configured to selectably close a hinged clamshell of the scoop. 
 
     
     
       33. The system according to  claim 29 ,
 wherein the scoop array comprises the lift mechanism comprising a cable and an actuator responsive to the controller and configured to raise and lower the scoop array. 
 
     
     
       34. A scoop array comprising:
 a plurality of scoops configured to hang downwardly from a lift mechanism coupled to at least one overhead carriage; 
 wherein the plurality of scoops are configured to be independently raised and lowered by the lift mechanism relative to the at least one overhead carriage to scoop a material and wherein the scoops hanging downwardly from a first overhead carriage are coaxially positioned; and 
 a tub to receive the material, the tub having a scale to measure a weight of the scoop material.